Baked Breaded Eggplant

I'm adding this Baked Breaded Eggplant to my favorite for-when-people-come-over list, as an appetizer or maybe as a side to a pasta or chicken.  These little patties are so pretty and unique.  At first glance, they look like a piece of bread with some tomatoes on top.  But you then realize "oh my, it's actually the elegant, beautiful and often overlooked eggplant!"  It's sure to elicit surprise and compliments. 

There are a few tweaks for convenience and taste.  Peel the eggplant before cutting.  I did a stripes system because I like leaving the skin on, although bread crumbs have a bit more trouble sticking to the peel.  Still, it produced a circus pattern on the eggplant, making it more unusual and pretty.  You'll see my eggplant slices are a bit thick.  Next time, I'll either cut them thinner or cook them longer because I didn't think these reached the tenderness I wanted.  Also, I recommend adding some salt, garlic and cayenne powder to the bread crumbs for an extra kick.  And instead of adding everything separately to the eggplant, I mixed the tomatoes, Parmesan and dressing together before divvying it up onto the slices.  I added some dried parsley and dried oregano to the topping for an extra Italian taste. 

Review: Highly Recommended!  Classy, unique, healthy and delicious yet with a very simple taste.  Goes well with wine, chicken and pasta.